The University of Texas at Dallas

School of Management

Strategic Management
Course Syllabus

Course Information
Course Number/Section BA 4305 – 5U3 1664
Course Title Strategic Management
Term Summer 2010
Days & Times Thursday 6 PM- 10PM
Location SOM 2.801

Professor Contact Information

Professor
Email eLearning email
Office Location SOM 4.207
Office Hours Thursday 4:30-5:45 PM
Other Information The quickest and easiest way to contact me is through E-learning
email. However, if it is a topic that needs to be addressed over the
phone, you can call during my office hours or email me to set up a
time to meet or talk over the phone.

Course Co-Requisite and Pre-requisites:

Co-requisite: BA 4371;
Pre-requisite: BA3341, 3351, BA3352, BA3361, and BA3365 – no exceptions made

Course Description
This is a capstone-level course requiring integration of all fields of business. Students will
draw on their broadened awareness of various environmental influences (social and political)
to solve business problems. Management alternatives will be examined with an ethical
perspective relating policy trends to the strategic planning mode.

The Strategic Management course has been designated a capstone course in business at the
University of Texas at Dallas. The purpose of a capstone course is to integrate the learning
achieved in individual business courses taken to earn a business degree. The knowledge
acquired in finance, accounting, operations, MIS, marketing, and organizational behavior
classes will be utilized to study the strategic management of the firm as well as the
responsibilities of the general manager.

Course Syllabus – BA 4305 Page 1

 The approach of the class is practical and problem oriented. The major part of the course will
involve applying concepts, analytic frameworks, and intuition to the strategic issues that real-
world companies face. These issues are presented in case studies. For the class to work well –
and for you to benefit from it – attendance and preparation for each class meeting is essential.
This is an extremely intense course, which requires a substantial time commitment.

Student Learning Objectives/Outcomes

By the end of this course, students must be able to do the following:

1) To complete an external analysis of a firm, including a detailed analysis of the
competitive environment of the firm.
2) To complete an internal analysis of a firm, including the identification of the (sustainable)
competitive advantages of the firm and the resources and capabilities that lead to these
advantages.
3) To complete an assessment of the firm’s current strategy, including the ability to identify
the strategic problems of a firm and to develop solutions to a firm’s strategic issues.
4) To integrate skills acquired in finance, accounting, marketing, and MIS courses to create
a successful generic strategy to a simulated firm.

Course Requirements
This course requires extensive readings, active discussions, and diligent attention to the
exercises. Each student will be expected to spend an average of 4 hours a week on this course
in addition to class time. This is particularly true during the first weeks of the class.
 If a student cannot commit this amount of time and effort on this course, he or she must
realize that it may be very difficult to earn a good grade.
 Failure to fully prepare for class is also a detriment to one’s fellow students. It is the
student’s responsibility to thoroughly read the syllabus, fully understand all the
requirements, and keep track of all important dates in order to be successful.

Required Textbooks

 The required text for this course is: Gregory G. Dess, G.T. Lumpkin, and Alan B.
Eisner: Strategic Management. Text and Cases (5th edition). McGraw-Hill Irwin.
ISBN: 978-0-07-353041-3

E-Learning and Communication:

You will need to have access to E-Learning for use during this class. Class notes, the
syllabus, and other relevant course-related materials will be posted on E-Learning. You
may download this material from the website. In addition, you are advised to check your
messages on E-Learning frequently, and prior to each class session. This will be the main
way of disseminating any messages or instructions relating to the course. A university

Course Syllabus – BA 4305 Page 2

 policy to protect student privacy directs that faculty are not required to answer student
emails unless they are from a UTD account. This means that I will not respond to
emails unless they come through E-Learning.

Grading Policy
First Exam 20%
Second Exam 20%
Individual Case Part 1 13%
Individual Case Part 2 13%
Individual Case Part 3 14%
Written Case Analysis 10%
Class Participation 10%

Individual Exams
There will be two noncumulative exams, each worth 20% of the final grade. There will be no
make-up or replacement exams. Exams may be a combination of multiple choice and short
answers.

Written case analysis (10%)

In preparation for discussing the case that is scheduled for a given class, you are expected to
write a brief (around 1-2 page long) case analysis. This will include a problem statement, a
framework, and the best option for the firm. The written case analyzes are to aid you during the
class discussions.

I expect you to write up these case analyses for every case we will discuss in class, and I will
collect them for grading at the end of the class. 10% of the final grade will be based on these
written case analyses. No handwritten case analysis will be accepted!

Individual case papers

The three individual case papers will be discussed in class, and detailed handouts will be
provided regarding the expectations for each individual assignment.
The three papers will address the following:

Internal and external analysis

Financial analysis
Recommendations

Course Syllabus – BA 4305 Page 3

Grading Scale

97 and above A+
94 to 96 A
90 to 93 A-
87 to 89 B+
84 to 86 B
80 to 83 B-
77 to 79 C+
74 to 76 C
70 to 73 C-
67 to 69 D+
64 to 66 D
60 to 63 D-
59 and below F

Course Schedule and Readings*:

DATE TOPIC READINGS ASSIGNMENT
[COMPLETED DUE
BEFORE
LECTURE]
May 27th Syllabus, Open discussion, Chapter 1 None
Doing library Research,
Strategic Management
rd
June 3 Analyzing the External environment of the firm Chapter 2, 3 Case analysis 1
Analyzing the Internal environment of the firm
June 10th Firm’s intellectual assets Chapter 4 1st Case paper
June 17th Business-level Strategy Chapter 5, 6 Case analysis 2
Corporate-level Strategy
Review
June 24th FIRST EXAM (Ch.1-6) Case analysis 3
st
July 1 International Strategy Chapter 7, 8 2nd Case Paper
Entrepreneurial Strategy
th
July 8 Strategic control & Corporate governance Chapter 9 Case analysis 4
July 15th Organizational design Chapter 10, 12 Case analysis 5
Corporate entrepreneurship
nd
July 22 Strategic Leadership & Ethics Chapter 11 3rd Case paper
Final review
th
July 29 SECOND EXAM (Ch. 7-12)

Course Syllabus – BA 4305 Page 4

August 5th Office hours
* This schedule is flexible and is subject to change as necessary, at the Professor’s discretion.

General Course Policies:

Learning is an active process. Be at each class on time and prepared. Classes will be a combination of
lecture, discussion, and exercises – you should actively participate in each part. You are responsible for
the assigned readings and what is covered in class.

Common Courtesy: You are expected to be courteous during class time. Please respect your fellow
students by turning off cell phones and beepers before class, refraining from talking with others when
someone is speaking, and arriving punctually to class. Also, note that laptop usage during class is
prohibited, unless authorized by the instructor for certain class exercises.

Turn-Around Time: Exams will generally be returned the next class meeting. Other graded material will
be returned and/or posted within two weeks. Scores for all graded materials will be posted on WebCT.

Make-Up Policy: Students not present for an exam will be assigned a grade of “0” unless PRIOR
arrangements have been made and an acceptable excuse provided. Excused exam makeup is at the
instructor’s discretion and in accordance with departmental policy.

SYLLABUS ADDENDUM

E-mail Policy
Email Use The University of Texas at Dallas recognizes the value and efficiency of
communication between faculty/staff and students through electronic mail. At the same time,
email raises some issues concerning security and the identity of each individual in an email
exchange. The university encourages all official student email correspondence be sent only to
a student’s U.T. Dallas email address and that faculty and staff consider email from students
official only if it originates from a UTD student account. This allows the university to
maintain a high degree of confidence in the identity of all individual corresponding and the
security of the transmitted information.
UTD furnishes each student with a free email account that is to be used in all communication
with university personnel. The Department of Information Resources at U.T. Dallas provides
a method for students to have their U.T. Dallas mail forwarded to other accounts.

Student Conduct & Discipline

The University of Texas System and The University of Texas at Dallas have rules and
regulations for the orderly and efficient conduct of their business. It is the responsibility of
each student and each student organization to be knowledgeable about the rules and
regulations which govern student conduct and activities. General information on student

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 conduct and discipline is contained in the UTD publication, A to Z Guide, which is provided
to all registered students each academic year.
The University of Texas at Dallas administers student discipline within the procedures of
recognized and established due process. Procedures are defined and described in the Rules
and Regulations, Board of Regents, The University of Texas System, Part 1, Chapter VI,
Section 3, and in Title V, Rules on Procedures. Copies of these rules and regulations are
available to students in the Office of the Dean of Students, where staff members are available
to assist students in interpreting the rules and regulations (SU 1.602, 972/883-6391).
A student at the university neither loses the rights nor escapes the responsibilities of
citizenship. He or she is expected to obey federal, state, and local laws as well as the
Regents’ Rules, university regulations, and administrative rules. Students are subject to
discipline for violating the standards of conduct whether such conduct takes place on or off
campus, or whether civil or criminal penalties are also imposed for such conduct.

Academic Integrity
The faculty expects from its students a high level of responsibility and academic honesty.
Because the value of an academic degree depends upon the absolute integrity of the work
done by the student for that degree, it is imperative that a student demonstrate a high standard
of individual honor in his or her scholastic work.
Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, statements, acts or omissions related to
applications for enrollment or the award of a degree, and/or the submission as one’s own
work or material that is not one’s own.
As a general rule, scholastic dishonesty involves one of the following acts: cheating,
plagiarism, collusion and/or falsifying academic records. Students suspected of academic
dishonesty are subject to disciplinary proceedings. Plagiarism, especially from the web, from
portions of papers for other classes, and from any other source is unacceptable and will be
dealt with under the university’s policy on plagiarism (see general catalog for details). This
course will use the resources of turnitin.com, which searches the web for possible plagiarism.

Withdrawal from Class

The administration of this institution has set deadlines for withdrawal of any college-level
courses. These dates and times are published in that semester’s course catalog.
Administration procedures must be followed. It is the student’s responsibility to handle
withdrawal requirements from any class. In other words, I cannot drop or withdraw any
student. You must do the proper paperwork to ensure that you will not receive a final grade
of ”F” in a course if you choose not to attend the class once you are enrolled.

Student Grievance Procedures

Procedures for student grievances are found in Title V, Rules on Student Services and
Activities, of the university’s Handbook of Operating Procedures. In attempting to resolve
any student grievance regarding grades, evaluations, or other fulfillments of academic
responsibility, it is the obligation of the student first to make a serious effort to resolve the
matter with the instructor, supervisor, administrator, or committee with whom the grievance
originates (hereafter called ”the respondent”). Individual faculty members retain primary

Course Syllabus – BA 4305 Page 6

 responsibility for assigning grades and evaluations. If the matter cannot be resolved at that
level, the grievance must be submitted in writing to the respondent with a copy of the
respondent’s School Dean. If the matter is not resolved by the written response provided by
the respondent, the student may submit a written appeal to the School Dean. If the grievance
is not resolved by the School Dean’s decision, the student may make a written appeal to the
Dean of Graduate or Undergraduate Education, and the deal will appoint and convene an
Academic Appeals Panel. The decision of the Academic Appeals Panel is final. The results
of the academic appeals process will be distributed to all involved parties.
Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in the Office of the Dean of
Students, where staff members are available to assist students in interpreting the rules and
regulations.

Incomplete Grade Policy

As per university policy, incomplete grades will be granted only for work unavoidably
missed at the semester’s end and only if 70% of the course work has been completed. An
incomplete grade must be resolved within eight (8) weeks from the first day of the
subsequent long semester. If the required work to complete the course and to remove the
incomplete grade is not submitted by the specified deadline, the incomplete grade is changed
automatically to a grade of F.

Disability Services
The goal of Disability Services is to provide students with disabilities educational opportunities
equal to those of their non-disabled peers. Disability Services is located in room 1.610 in the
Student Union. Office hours are Monday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Tuesday and
Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The contact
information for the Office of Disability Services is: The University of Texas at Dallas, SU 22
PO Box 830688 Richardson, Texas 75083-0688 (972) 883-2098 (voice or TTY).
Essentially, the law requires that colleges and universities make those reasonable adjustments
necessary to eliminate discrimination on the basis of disability. For example, it may be
necessary to remove classroom prohibitions against tape recorders or animals (in the case of
dog guides) for students who are blind. Occasionally an assignment requirement may be
substituted (for example, a research paper versus an oral presentation for a student who is
hearing impaired). Classes enrolled students with mobility impairments may have to be
rescheduled in accessible facilities. The college or university may need to provide special
services such as registration, note-taking, or mobility assistance. It is the student’s
responsibility to notify his or her professors of the need for such an accommodation.
Disability Services provides students with letters to present to faculty members to verify that
the student has a disability and needs accommodations. Individuals requiring special
accommodation should contact the professor after class or during office hours.

Religious Holy Days

The University of Texas at Dallas will excuse a student from class or other required activities
for the travel to and observance of a religious holy day for a religion whose places of worship
are exempt from property tax under Section 11.20, Tax Code, Texas Code Annotated. The

Course Syllabus – BA 4305 Page 7

 student is encouraged to notify the instructor or activity sponsor as soon as possible regarding
the absence, preferably in advance of the assignment.
The student, so excused, will be allowed to take the exam or complete the assignment within
a reasonable time after the absence: a period equal to the length of the absence, up to a
maximum of one week. A student who notifies the instructor and completes any missed exam
or assignment may not be penalized for the absence. A student who fails to complete the
exam or assignment within the prescribed period may receive a failing grade for that exam or
assignment. If a student or an instructor disagrees about the nature of the absence [i.e., for the
purpose of observing a religious holy day] or if there is similar disagreement about whether
the student has been given a reasonable time to complete any missed assignments or
examinations, either the student or the instructor may request a ruling from the chief
executive officer of the institution, or his or her designee. The chief executive officer or
designee must take into account the legislative intent of TEC 51.911(b), and the student and
instructor will abide by the decision of the chief executive officer or designee.

Off-Campus Instruction and Course Activities

Off-campus, out-of-state, and foreign instruction and activities are subject to state law and
University policies and procedures regarding travel and risk-related activities. Information
regarding these rules and regulations may be found at the website address given below.
Additional information is available from the office of the school dean.
(http://www.utdallas.edu/Business/Affairs/Travel Risk Activities.htm).
Important Notes
Throughout the semester, each student is expected to follow the university’s guideline on student
conduct with regard to cheating and other dishonorable behaviors. Severe consequences can
occur if such rules are not followed.
The instructor also reserves the right to deduct from a student’s individual class participation
credit if the student has shown severe non-constructive behavior in class (such as disrupting the
class or abusing another individual), in addition to other disciplinary actions.
If a student is absent or late to a class meeting, it will be his or her responsibility to catch up with
all the missed materials including any announcement made while the student was absent. No
make-up exams or lectures will be given. It will also be the students’ responsibility to accept any
consequences that may result from absences. No late assignments will be accepted. Finally, it is a
student’s responsibility to read the syllabus thoroughly and regularly and keep track of all the
important dates and requirements every week.
Experience shows that the answer for most questions that students ask can in fact be found in the
syllabus. Please always consult the syllabus before contacting the instructor.

These descriptions and timelines are subject to change at the

discretion of the Professor.

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